Complete Bluford Series 13 NEW Book Books African American Teen Teens

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The Bluford Series is a collection of thirteen young adult novels that focus on the lives of a group of high school students and their families. The series draws its name from the school which many of the characters attend: Bluford High, named after Guion "Guy" Bluford, America's first black astronaut.

Set in contemporary urban America, each novel addresses complex topics relevant to the lives of today's students: family, friendship, trust, isolation, violence, and peer pressure, to name a few.

In addition, the books feature male and female characters and include elements from many literary genres, such as mystery, suspense, romance, and a touch of the supernatural. In other words, the Bluford Series offers something for almost every reader.

Finally, the books are short (less than 200 pages) and written in a highly readable style. Reviewed in a national reading journal and praised by students and teachers nationwide, the Bluford Series appeals to readers of all ages.

KEY FEATURES OF THE BLUFORD SERIES

Engaging, accessible writing style:

All Bluford novels were written to appeal to both intermediate and advanced readers. While content in the series is sophisticated enough for high school students and beyond, the reading level for the novels is between 5th and 6th grade.

Relatively short in length:

Each novel in the Bluford Series contains less than 200 pages, encouraging even reluctant readers to read from cover to cover. This feature also increases the likelihood that students will pick up subsequent books once they have completed one book in the series.

Relevant topics for today's middle and high school students:

Topics, themes, and situations in the Bluford Series were chosen to engage students' real-life experiences. By having immediate relevance to students' lives, the books are more likely to keep students' interest--and teach them the value and pleasure of reading.

African-American characters are central to almost every story:

The majority of important characters in the Bluford Series--heroes, villains, and people in between--are African-American. Such central roles reflect the diversity present in many urban schools and promote meaningful text-based connections for students.

Male and female protagonists are present throughout the series:

Taking into account recent research on gender and reading, an effort was made to ensure that students of both sexes would find the Bluford books appealing. As a result, the series features six books with female and seven with male protagonists. In addition, important characters of both sexes are in every book.

Multiple literary genres are included to increase appeal to readers:

To account for the varied preferences of young readers, the Bluford Series includes elements of many popular genres for this age group, including mystery, romance, action, and a touch of the supernatural.